Electric striking mechanism for clocks



(No Model.) 2 sheets sheet 1.

S. G. DICKINSON. ELECTRIC STRIKING MECHANISM FOR OLOGKS.

No. 471,210. Patented Mar. 22, 1892.

V h 0 Z w I -1" lli U (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

S. O. DICKINSON. ELECTRIC STRIKING MECHANISM FOR GLOGKS.

N0. 471,210. Patented Mar. 22, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SILAS C. DICKINSON, OF CORNING, IOXVA.

ELECTRIC STRI KING M ECHANISM FOR CLOCKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 471,210, dated March 22, 1892.

Application filed September 1'7 1891, Serial No. 405,951. (No model.)

To whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SILAS O. DICKINSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Corning, in the county of Adams and State of Iowa, have invented new and useful Improvements in Electric Striking Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a system of eleciric circuits and devices connectedtherewith whereby a clock may be made to strike the hours, quarters, or other definite periods of time.

The object of the invention is to provide means for electrically striking the hours which may be applied to any clock Without disturbing in any way the ordinary mechanism and without including in the electric circuit any part of such mechanism, but which is more especially adapted to large clocks, such as are used in connection with towers.

The present invention is designed as an improvement on my invention covered by Patent No. 363,215, granted May 17, 1887. In the said patent the magnet in the circuit closed by the clock-work overcame a spring, which latter served as the motive power for operating the hammer; but I found that for use with large clockssuch as are used in towersthe magnet could not be made sufficiently powerful to operate satisfactorily unless a comparatively large quantity of electric energy was supplied, and therefore I devised the present idea of substituting an electric motor in lieu of such magnet and making certain changes in the devices and circuits to adapt them to the motor.

Like letters refer to the same parts in the several figures of the drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a diagram of the circuits and such devices as act in conjunction therewith. Fig. 2 illustrates in elevation a View of one side of the machine; and Fig. 3 illustrates in elevation a view of the other side of such machine, except that the standards for the gong and hammer are broken off.

Upon any suitable frame is mounted a resonant gong Y, and at the opposite end of the same frame is pivoted a hammer or clapper V, which at its lower end has rigidly connected therewith at an angle thereto an arm V, which latter may be provided at its outer free end with a friction roller, as shown. J ournaled horizontally in the frame is a suit able gear M, upon whose shaft is affixed the cam X. The cam X revolves with the shaft and is so placed that the friction-roller on the arm V is constantly pressed against itby any.

suitable means, such as a spring or weight. At opposite ends of this same shaft are respectively securedsmallcrank-wheels a and b, which perform certain functions, hereinafter to be set forth. The gear-wheel M is driven by a pinion Z, which latter is on the shaft of and is operated by the revolving armature P, rotated by any well-known arrangement of field-magnets, such as is shown in the drawings.

Pivoted to the frame of the machine at the same side with the crank-wheel a is a horizontal lever L, which has formed on its under side two notches, respectively lettered (Z and c. Arranged in a vertical position and pivoted to the frame is the lever K, which has a pin upon its upper end which alternately rests within the notch d or upon the portion of the lever L between the notches cl and e. Gonnected to this vertical lever K is ahorizontal arm N, which has its outer free end covered with any suitable insulating material and supports the lower one of a pair of contactplates 0. The magnets F when energized attract an armature G, the upper end of which has a pin or projection which bears against the lower end of the vertical lever K, and when such armature is attracted causes said lever to rock on its pivot, close the contactpoints 0, and lock them in this position by reason of the pin attached to the upper end of this lever resting in the notch (Z of the horizontal lever L. The forward notch c in this horizontal lever permits the pin on the crankwheel a to enter, and thus allows thehorizontal lever to drop; but once in each revolution of the shaft upon which is fixed this crankwheel the pin strikes the outer end of this horizontal lever and elevates said lever, so as to free the upper end of the vertical lever K and permit this latter lever to drop by its own weight into its original position and open the contact-points O. The armature G, by means of a plate or arm J ,breaks the contact in the same circuit when such armature is drawn up against the magnet; but at other times a spring I hold the plate J in contact and completes that portion of the circuit.

On the opposite side of the machine isjournaled a gear-wheel Q, the periphery of which is provided with teeth just equal in number the strokes of the bell of the clock desired to be given in a definite period. In the present instance the wheel has seventy-eight teeth, which correspond with the number of strokes which it is desired the .clock shall make in twelve hours. The pin on the small crankwheel I) is arranged to engage the teeth of the gear-wheel Q and move said gear-wheel forward the space of one tooth at each revolution of the shaft upon which is mounted this gear-wheel and cam X. Upon the outer face of this gear-wheel Q is arranged a series of lugs or pins 0, the distances between such pins being adjusted with reference to the number of strokes desired from the bell at the points indicating the several hours. For instance, in the diagram a pin 0 is shown as resting upon the upper turned end of theleverS, which will be hereinafter described. Another pin is shown to the left almost in juxtaposition to the first-mentioned pin, and each successive pin on the wheel has a space between itself and its predecessor widened to correspond to the number of strokes desired from the bell, which can only act while the end of the lever is between the pins, except as to the first stroke of such bell, which is given inde- 'pendently of thelever S. This leverS is centrally pivoted'and has its other end formed of an insulating substance and resting on the upper of a pair of contact-plates R, and this end of the lever is so weighted as to normally press the contact-plates together; but when any of the lugs or pins on the wheel press against one end of the lever the insulating end of said lever is lifted from the upper of the plates R, and that, by reason of its own resiliency or an auxiliary weight or spring, rises and a circuit is broken at that point.

What I will denominate as the main circuit D is formed of wires, which include a battery E and magnets F, and this circuit is normally'broken by the contact plates 0,

lever in this position by the falling of the.

notched lever L over the pin at the upper end of the lever K. Thus far the bell has given no stroke, because the electric motor which operates it is in the branch circuit and such circuit is open at the point J, even though the contacts 0 have closed that portion of the circuit adjacent to them; but as the hand of the clock continues its revolution it passes beyond the contact-plates O, and the lower one, being thus unsupported, drops down away from the upper one, opens the main circuit D, and de-energizes the magnets F, permitting the springI to draw the armature G away from the magnets and close the branch circuit M at the pointJ. Atthistimethereisa complete circuit from the negative pole of thebatteryE through the wires M, the electric motor, the contact plates 0, armature G, the contact J, and back through the ou-terwire M and the inner bindin g-post to the positive pole of the battery. The electric motor is thereby caused to operate, and through the gears Z and M rotates the shaft which carries the cam X one complete revolution, so that the point of such cam passes beyond the roller at the end of the arm V and allows such arm to drop and cause the hammer to strike the gong. At the same time a small crank-wheel a is given a complete revolution, causing the pin thereon to strike the outer end of the lever L and lift such leveruntil the pin,with the vertical lever, clears the notch, and is thus enabled to drop, carryingwith it its horizontal arm Nand breaking the contact of the plates 0 and the continuity of the branch circuit M. The breaking of this branch circuit M, in which is included the motor, of course immediately stops such motor unless the branch circuit lettered T is simultaneously closed through such motor.

This branch circuit T is normallyinterrupted by the separation of the contact-plates R; but

if the wheel Q has been given such a position that the outer end of the lever S is opposite a space between pins on such wheel then the lower weighted end of the lever S bears against the contact-plates R and causes them to close the branch circuit T. A complete circuit is thus made from the negative pole of the battery E through the right binding-post, the wire M,the electric motor, the short wire connecting such motor with the wire T, the con tact-plates R, the remaining portion of the wire T at the left in Fig. 1, the armature G, the contacts J, and the outer wire M through the inner binding-post to'the positive pole of the battery. In this manner the branch circuit T is caused to energize the electric motor. The latter again rotates the cam and causes the bell to strike and to continue to strike as long as the contact-pla tes R keep the branch circuit T closed. The shaft whichrevolves the cam also rotates the small crank-wheel b, and at the instant the point of the cam moves beyond the lever supporting the bell-hammer and allows it to strike the gong the small crank-wheel 17 engages a tooth of the gearwheel Q and moves the latter one space. As often as the bell strikes the wheel Q is moved by the small crank b, and this continues until the pin on such gear-wheel Q comes in contact with the outer end of the lever S and depresses the same, and thereby breaks the branch circuit T at B, when of course the motor is deenergized and the striking of the bell is stopped. The pins on the face of the gearwheel Q are spaced apart, as before indicated,

, a distance corresponding to the number of the strokes of the bell desired for the several successive hours or other determinate periods of time. For instance, denominating the pin in the view resting upon the outer end of the lever S as the zero-pin, the next pin to the left, which would correspond to one oclock on the face of the dial, would be placed so close to the Zero-pin that the movement of the wheel Q the space of one tooth would cause the pin to the left, which we may call N o. l,to rest upon the outer end of the lever without giving the latter an opportunity to pass between the pins, and therefore the branch circuit will remain open, and the only stroke of the bell will be that caused by the momentary closing of the branch circuit through the contacts 0 and J. It will therefore be understood that the function of the branch circuit M and the contacts 0 and J is merely to give the first stroke of the bell and will answer only for one oclock, but that the branch circuit T occasions the other strokes of the bell when more than one is required to indicate the other hours of the day. The contacts R in the branch circuit T in the branch circuit M are what is technically termed in multiple arc with each other when considered in reference to the battery E.

It is manifest that variations may be made in the arrangement of strokes and'in the details of the above-described invention without departing from the principle thereof, and I do not Wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact details and arrangements shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In an electric striking device, the combination of the main circuit including the magnet, a source of electric energy, and a circuit-closer controlled by a clock mechanism, a branch circuit including the electric motor, circuit-closers controlled by the main circuit, a second branch circuit including the same motor, and means, substantially as described, controlled by such motor for closing the second branch circuit and determining the length of time it shall remain closed, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In an electric striking device, the combination of thetime-clock, an electric circuitineluding an electro-magnet periodically closed by such clock, and two branch circuits in multiple arc with each other and both including the same electric motor, the first branch circuit being controlled by the magnet in the main circuit and the second by the operation of the electric motor through the first branch circuit, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In an electric striking device, the combination, with a time-clock, of a main circuit including a magnet, a circuit closer operated by the clock, a branch circuit including the electric motor, circuitclosers for such branch circuit, controlled by the magnet, and a second branch circuit also including the electric motor and controlled by the first-m entioned branch circuit, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In an electric striking device, the combination, with a time-clock, of an electric circuit including a magnet and a circuit-closer operated by the clock, an other electric circuit including an electric motor operating the striking device of the clock, circuit-closers controlled by the magnet in the first-mentioned circuit, and a third electric circuit including the motor and a circuit-closer controlled by such motor, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In an electric striking device, the combination with a time-clock, of an electric circuit including an electro-magnet and a circuitcloser operated by the time-clock, a branch circuit including an electric motor and a rheotome controlled by the magnet of the circuit first mentioned, and a striking device operated by the electric motor, whereby the closing and opening of the main circuit by the clock will give a single stroke on the bell through the medium of the branch circuit and will immediately open such branch circuit, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

6. In an electric striking device, the combination, with a time-clock, of a main electric circuit including an electro-magnet and a circuit closer operated by the time-clock, a branch circuit including an electric motor and a rheotome controlled by the main circuit, a second branch circuit including the same motor and a circuit-closer, and mech= anism, substantially as described, for closing the second branch circuit a period commensurate with the additional strokes desired from the bell, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. In an electric striking device, the combination, With a time-clock, of a main electric circuit including an electro-magnet and a circuit-closer operated by such time-clock, a branch circuit including the electric motor and a circuit-closer therein controlled by the magnet of the main circuit, another circuitcloser controlled by the same magnet, a looking device for holding the second circuit-closer closed, a striking device operated by the motor, and a releasing device operated by the same motor for opening the second circuit-- closer, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

8. In an electric striking device, the combination, with a time-clock, of a main electric circuit including an electronnagnet and a circuit-closer operated by the time clock, a branch circuit including an electric motor and two circuit-closers controlled by the magnet of the main circuit, a striking device operated by the motor, a locking device for one of the circuit-closers, a releasing device for such circuit-closer, controlled by the motor, a second branch circuit including the same motor and a circuit-closer, and mechanism, substantially as described, for varying the time this circuit-closer remains closed, said mechanism being started by the motor, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

9. In an electric striking device, the combination, with a time-clock, of a main electric circuit including an electro-magnet and a circuit-closer controlled by the time clock, a branch circuit including the armature of the magnet included in the main circuit, an electric motor, and two circuit-closers, the one operated directly by the armature of the magnet and the other by an intermediate lever acted on by such armature, a notched lockinglever for holding the intermediate lever and its circuit-closer, and a crank-Wheel operated from the motor for lifting the locking-lever and opening the circuit-closer, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

10. In an electric striking device, the combination, with a time-clock, of a main electric circuit including an electro-magnet and a circuit-closer controlled by the time-clock, a branch circuit including the armature of the magnet included in the main circuit, an electric motor, and two circuit-closers, the one operated by the armature of the magnet and the other by an intermediate lever acted on by such armature, a notched locking-lever for holding the intermediate lever and its circuit-closer, a crank-wheel operated from the motor for lifting the looking-lever and opening the circuit-closer, a second branch circuit including the same electric motor, the

move the same the space of one tooth at every revolution of the cam-shaft, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

SILAS O. DICKINSON. Witnesses:

HIRAM E. BAKER, WARREN B. AUKENY. 

